The Truth

Longing

"Edward Remus Lupin!" calls the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, her voice crystal clear over the chatter of the students about Ravenclaw's newest member - Victoire Weasley. Trembling with trepidation, Edward steps forward, his bright blue hair turning to a darker red, and is seated on the stool. As soon as the Sorting Hat is placed on his head, it begins its musings

"Hmm... a metamorphmagus, eh? Cunning and shrewd like those of Slytherin House... a mind as sharp as a true Ravenclaw... kind and loyal as a Hufflepuff... not much bravery or courageousness though. What shall we do with you? Would you follow your heart, your mind or your talents, eh? (under his breath, Edward is muttering "Not Slytherin, Not Slytherin") Not Slytherin? Then... My final decision is... HUFFLEPUFF!"

A large cheer erupts from Hufflepuff House as he makes his way over to their table in the Great Hall, tripping over his oversized robes multiple times. In the time before the Headmistress's speech, he makes small talk with fellow Hufflepuff students, introducing himself as "Edward Remus Lupin, but you can call me Teddy". After the Sorting Ceremony Feast, Teddy follows the Prefects to the Hufflepuff Common Room with a full belly, a smile plastered across his face and stripy yellow-black hair. He discovers that the entrance to the common room is located "in a nook on the right-hand side of the kitchens", concealed behind a stack of barrels. Unlike the Slytherin Common Room that his grandmother Andromeda describes, in order to reveal the entrance, no password is required. Instead, the Prefect taps the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff', which will make the lid swing open, exposing a passageway that will lead to the basement when crawled through. Once led to the first-year boys dormitories, overcome by fatigue from his first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Teddy quickly changes into his pyjamas and flops onto the bed.

After an hour or so of tossing and turning in bed, his head still buzzing from today's events, Teddy decides that there is no hope in trying to get sleep, so he trudges to the Common Room. Surprisingly, he finds it empty, and then facepalms because he realises that everyone is probably asleep at this ungodly hour. Bored, and looking for some trouble and adventure, he makes the decision to explore the school grounds, though he knows from McGonagall's speech that Filch will through a hissing fit. He leaves the Common Room anyhow.

Pitch black greets him - of course, because it's midnight, and he stumbles around in the dark for a while, until he hears a faint meowing sound - Mrs Norris. With a start, he bolts in the opposite direction, hoping to find his way back to the Common Room. He has no such luck. Instead, he finds himself in a peculiarly empty room - not empty in the sense that there is no one there, but with barely anything in it. The only object Teddy can see in this eerie room is a mirror, with a very strange golden frame that has "Erised" on it.

Like a lightbulb moment, he realises that it spells Desire backwards. Overwhelmed with curiousity, he brisk walks towards the mirror - only to see something absolutely impossible. But then again, he considers that everything in the magical world was first thought to be impossible, especially with Muggles. Anyhow, the phenomena that greeted him was none other than his two parents - Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, holding hands and smiling at him. Then, he sees his mother place a hand on his shoulder, even this simple movement conveying years of affection that could not be expressed. Teddy turns his head to look at his left shoulder, but he doesn't see anything, or feel any hand.

He continues to gaze intently at the mirror, enchanted by the image of his belated parents hugging him, after almost 11 years since their unfortunate demise in the Battle of Hogwarts.

"Ah, I see you have found the Mirror of Erised, young Lupin," Teddy turns to see the Headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall, standing there in a green velvet robe, "Do you understand how this mirror works, Edward Remus?"

"Um, no?!" replies Teddy, slightly confused.

"Let me give you a hint. The happiest man on earth would look into this mirror and see only himself"

"Uhh... maybe it shows what you want? Whatever you want?" 

"Yes... and, no. The Mirror of Erised shows nothing but our hearts deepest desires. You, having lost your parents in the Battle of Hogwarts when you were barely a month old, crave their love and attention, desiring to be a family with them, but alas..." McGonagall trails off, unsure how to finish the sentence, leading to a long awkward pause.

"Professor, may I ask you something?" asks Teddy, breaking the silence.

"Well, seeing as you already have, I don't see why not."

"What do you see when you look into the Mirror, Professor?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick woolly socks."

Teddy looks sceptical, but lets the professor continue what she is saying

"Now, off to bed. I'm sure Hufflepuff wouldn't be pleased if one of its newest members cost them 50 House Points"

A/N hey guys i really wanted this last bit from the mirror of erised to be like deja vu with harry, cuz they both are kinda similar in that they both lost their parents in war/fight against Voldemort. Also, hope u guys liked it :)